I sketched the gradients of this image in Photoshop and now I'm working on the actual design in Illustrator with gradients/meshes.

The center image is the sketch. On the lower right you can see the vector I'm working on.

As you can see there are rich blacks in the sketch whereas the blacks are not dark enough in the vector version because blacks are all in K without CMY values.

What should I do to make the blacks work as in the sketch? Should I add CMYs to all blacks manually? Or should I create a black color (with CMY) and use tints of it in the gradients/meshes?

Another concern is that if I add CMYs to the black then it cannot be printed in one-color.

I hope it's clear enough

glenngould
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2012-11-24T22:19:55Z —
#2

I guess best way is to create a rich black as a spot color and use tints of it. This way it can be printed in one-color. When printing, adjust the black if needed, based on the directions from the printing house.

Slackr
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2012-11-27T01:07:57Z —
#3

If you are doing a single colour job then yes the spot colour is the about your only option outside of being content with a standard black.

dresden_phoenix
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2012-11-27T06:08:10Z —
#4

Important things to note:

AI and ID have setting which displays rich black differently ( usually darker) than plain K. So what you see on the screen is not necessarily what you will get.

In the above there are also two blacks swatches: 'registration' ( which you know as 'rich black') and K (black) bake use to pick one or the other depending on your final output needs.

DO NOT MIX one with the other. That is if you are doing a 100K-20K gradient make sure is that and not 100K-20CYMK.

in a ONE COLOR JOB the 'color' is irrelevant. What you are in fact doing is mapping % ink coverage. so again as long as you dont mix BASE colors ( this includes NOT mixing pure black with rich black by mistake you'll be OK.

glenngould
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2012-12-04T20:12:40Z —
#5

In the above there are also two blacks swatches: 'registration' ( which you know as 'rich black') and K (black) bake use to pick one or the other depending on your final output needs.

I just want to point out that registration black is NOT rich black and you should never use it in your designs except the registration marks.

seanuk
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2012-12-05T20:52:31Z —
#6

If you're printing in one colour then you can't have a 'rich black' but only 100% K (black)

If you're printing in CMYK, then check with your printer as some prefer you to have a maximum of 140% ink coverage, so you couldn't have 20% each of CMY on top of your black.

I usually just stick to 20% cyan & 20% magenta on top of my black - Prints well and keeps most printers happy

glenngould
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2012-12-06T10:05:44Z —
#7

If you're printing in one colour then you can't have a 'rich black' but only 100% K (black)

A one-color spot black work will most probably be printed with a special black ink not 100% K, so it's kind of a rich black in that sense.

seanuk
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2012-12-06T10:08:42Z —
#8

glenngould said:

A one-color spot black work will most probably be printed with a special black ink not 100% K, so it's kind of a rich black in that sense.

In many cases yes, but some smaller printers will still run the job through a CMYK press with just one colour (K black) - so check if it is a 'spot' colour or a 'process' colour.

glenngould
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2012-12-06T16:45:31Z —
#9

seanuk said:

In many cases yes, but some smaller printers will still run the job through a CMYK press with just one colour (K black) - so check if it is a 'spot' colour or a 'process' colour.